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Nigeria shock for Ivorians

Super Eagles join Burkina Faso in semifinals
Last Updated 04 February 2013, 17:58 IST

Burkina Faso and Nigeria completed the line-up for the African Nations Cup semifinals on Sunday as tournament favourites Ivory Coast again failed to live up to expectations.

Burkina Faso beat Togo 1-0 thanks to an extra-time goal from Jonathan Pitroipa in Nelspruit after Nigeria's upset 2-1 win over the much-vaunted Ivorians in Rustenburg had thrown the tournament wide open.

Nigeria play Mali in the semifinals in Durban on Wednesday and Ghana and Burkina Faso meet in Nelspruit the same day to determine the teams for next Sunday's final.
Sunday Mba's dramatic winner 12 minutes from time continued a nightmare sequence of tournaments for Didier Drogba and his Ivorian team-mates who had been fancied to win the last five editions but came up short each time.

Mba weaved his way close to the edge of the Ivorian penalty area before hitting a shot that deflected off Souleman Bamba and looped over goalkeeper Boubacar Barry.
The goal ended the prospect of extra which both sides looked to have settled for.
Emmanuel Emenike gave Nigeria a deserved halftime lead with a rasping free kick that Barry failed to get close to.

Without Yaya Toure given space to drive the side forward, the Ivorians showed little of the lustre evident in the earlier rounds. 

There was a glimpse of the forceful potential of the Ivorians in full stride when they came out after halftime and swarmed all over Nigeria, equalising within five minutes through Cheick Tiote.

He stole in unmarked at the back post to head home Drogba's free kick but Drogba, Gervinho and Toure proved largely ineffective and Ivory Coast meekly bowed out of the tournament.

Burkina Faso reached the semifinals for only the second time when Pitroipa's swivelling header from Charles Kabore's corner in the 105th minute settled the match.

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(Published 04 February 2013, 17:58 IST)

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